| 1957 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 32 |
| Finals Site | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri |
| Champions | Tennessee State (1st title, 1st title game, 1st Fab Four) |
| Runner-Up | Southeastern State (2nd title game, 3rd Fab Four) |
| Semifinalists | Pacific Lutheran Eastern Illinois |
| Coach of the Year | Bloomer Sullivan (Southeastern Oklahoma State) |
| Chuck Taylor MVP | Jim Spivey (Southeastern Oklahoma State) |
The 1957 NAIA Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 20th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. [1]
This would be the first tournament to have seeded teams. This also means that this is the first tournament to have an 'upset'. The first upset in tournament history was when the 3 seeded West Virginia Tech lost to Villa Madonna, predecessor to today's Thomas More of Kentucky, 93–91. There were three upsets this year, including the championship game. The NAIA seeded teams 21 years prior to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. The NAIA would adjust seeding to 16 seed system, in 1959. In 2016 the seeds would be adjust again, each bracket would be ranked 1-8, with the overall number 1 in the Naismith Bracket.
The championship game featured Tennessee State and Southeastern State (OK). With Tennessee State's win, they became the first historically black institution to win a collegiate basketball national championship. [2] This would be the first of three national championship titles for Tennessee State.
The 3rd place game featured Pacific Lutheran defeating Eastern Illinois.
Many of the records set by the 1957 tournament have been broken, and many of the awards were established much later:
| First Round | Second Round | Elite Eight | NAIA National Semifinals | NAIA National Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Pacific Lutheran | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elon | 61 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Pacific Lutheran | 105 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stetson | 83 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stetson | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayne State (NE) | 84 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Pacific Lutheran | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Texas Southern | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 98 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Troy State | 70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 72 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Texas Southern | 97 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Haven State | 66 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Texas Southern | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Pacific Lutheran | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 71 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Portland | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austin Peay State | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Portland | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 87 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 87 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adrian | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Western Illinois State | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| William Jewell | 70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adelphi | 69* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| William Jewell | 67 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Western Illinois State | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern State | 70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Western Illinois State | 101 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee State | 92 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Southeastern State | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | West Virginia Tech | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villa Madonna | 93 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villa Madonna | 78 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois State | 110 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois State | 88 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico Highlands | 76 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois State | 88 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Hamline | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stevens Point State | 93 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Millersville State | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stevens Point Statee | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Hamline | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wayland Baptist | 72 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Hamline | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois State | 81 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Southeastern State | 95 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Southeastern State | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwest Nazarene | 58 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Southeastern State | 98 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Texas State | 78 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southwest Texas State | 104 | NAIA Third Place Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Upper Iowa | 71 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Southeastern State | 69 | 1 | Pacific Lutheran | 87 | |||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Youngstown | 65 | Eastern Illinois State | 85 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Emporia State | 82 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern State (SD) | 66 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Emporia State | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Youngstown | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Westmont | 75 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Youngstown | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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